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, (No Model.) 2 Sheets Sheet 1.

' W. H. KNIGHT.

ELEGTRIO RAILWAY.

No. 425,950; Patented Apr. 15, 1890.

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WITNESSES INVENTUR 1m 16.. 41M m (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. H. KNIGHT. ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

No. 425,950. Patented Apr. 15, 1890.

\\\\\ o \(m \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\.\\\\\m UNITED I STATESWALTER H. KNIGHT,

OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters "Patent No. 425,950, dated April15, 1890.

Original application filed March 13, 1886, Serial No. 195,133

n3 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TVALTER H. KNIGHT, a

citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of NewYork, State of New York, have'invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Electric Railways, of which the following is aspecification.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 195,133, filedMarch 13, 1886, and also showing certain subj ect-mat-ter which isclaimed in Patent No. 406,743, granted to me July 9, 1889, which patentis also a division of the said original application.

My invention consists in certain features of construction of a contactdevice adapted to maintain a traveling electrical connection between thesupply-conductor of an electric railway and the propelling-motor, andparticularly in the means for connecting the contact device with thevehicle, all of which are described hereinafter and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 showsside and end views of the contact device in engagement with the supplyconductors inclosed in a slotted conduit, and Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6illustrate in detail various specific features of the contact device andthe means for connecting the flexible conductor therewith.

In the views, A is the frame of a car or locomotive, by which terms Iintend to cover any electrically-propelled vehicle, and B is a contactdevice or plow, consisting of two insulated conducting-cores w w,embedded in insulating-panels, which are supported between the legs S Sof a protecting metallic frame. Each core has a foot K attached to it bya spring-hinge, and a contactrshoe L, adapted to press against theconductor, is carried by each foot. These shoes normally contact withthe supply-conductors F F, which in Fig. 1 are shown inclosed in aslotted conduit. The plow is supported by a tubular traveler 0, adaptedto slide freely in a transverse guide 0 upon the vehicle, and each ofits three legs is provided with a wearing-plate b where it passesthrough the slot of the conduit. All these features, however, relatingto the general construction of the plow, as well as the supplementalmanual contact device E, with its contacts e e, (illustrated in Dividedand this application filed September 21, No. 250,342.

1 8 8 '7. Serial (No model.)

Fig. 1,) have been already claimed in my patent, No. 406,743, and areshown herein only as incidental to the present invention, which I nowproceed to describe.

Extending up through the metallic frame of the plow on each side of thetraveler c is a pin w, which is insulated from the frame by anintermediate wooden bushing M, and passes down into contact with theinsulated core 10 at its lower end, while at its outer end it terminatesin a ball or knob X. To the rigid shank of the contact-plow at the pointM outside of the conduit there is jointed a flexible conductor 0, whichforms the electrical connection between the contact device and one ofthe terminals a a of the propelling-motor. This point is shown in anenlarged scale in Figs. 3 and 4:, wherein the flexible conductor,consisting of the stranded core P and an insulating-covering, isconnected to a metallic tube T, which at its lower end is enlarged to aspherical shape with radial splits, so that it will expand and grasp theball X upon the conducting-pin.

U is a wooden sheathinclosing the split metallic tube. The engagement ofthe tube T with the conducting-pin forms what may be generically termeda spring-clip connection, which allows the flexible conductor betweenthe contact device and motor to be automatically detached when the plowis moved too far to one side or is otherwise displaced. It'alsoconstitutes a universal joint, permitting movement of the contact-plowin any direction without strain on the conductor.

I amaware that many different forms of joints and connections may beemployed which will fulflll the same functions as those specificallydescribed herein.

WVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an electric. railway, the combination ofa contact device movablerelatively to the car and a flexible connection between it and the carattached to the contact device by a spring-clip, as described.

2. In an electric railway, the combination of a contact device movablerelatively to the car and a flexible conductor between it and the carprovided with an electrical springclip connection. l

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tact and the vehicle, the

3. In an electric railway, the combination of a supply-conductorinclosed in a conduit, a contact device extending into the conduit andconnected with a vehicle on the roadway, but movable laterallyrelatively thereto, and an electrical conductor leading from the saidcontact device to the motor on the vehicle having an electricalspring-clip connection.

4. The combination, in an electric railway, of a contact-plow comprisingan insulated conductor and a protecting-frame, with a conducting-pinextending out from the frame, a flexible conductor in circuit with thepropelling-motor, and a spring-clip connection between the motor andpin, as set forth.

5. In an electric railway, the combination of an e1ectrically-propelledvehicle with a contact device movable relatively to the vehicle andmechanically connected thereto, and a flexible conductor forming theelectrical con 1 nection' between the contact device and thepropelling-motor and provided with anautomatically-detachableconnection,as described.

6. The combination,withan electrically-propelled vehicle, ofa'supply-conductor inclosed in a conduit, a traveling contact thereon,and J a flexible jointed conductor between said conjoint being at apoint outside of the conduit.

7. The combination of an electrically-piope lled vehicle, asupply-conductor inclosed in i a slotted conduit, and a travelingcontact device extending through the slot, with a conductor jointed atone end to the contact device at a point outside of the condu1t andformingthe electrical connection with the propelling-motor. A

8. The combination, with an electricallypropelled vehicle, of asupply-conductor 111- closed in a slotted conduit and a contact devicehaving a rigid shank extending through the slot, with a conductor incircuit with the propelling motor and jointed to the upper end of thesaid contact device, as described.

9. The combination, with an electricallypropelled vehicle, of asupply-conductor inclosed in a slotted conduit, a traveling con tactthereon mechanically connected with the vehicle, and an independentjointed conduct-or forming an electrical connection between the contactdevice and the propellingmotor.

10. The combination, with an electricallypropelled vehicle and asupplvconduct-or inclosed in a slotted conduit, of a contact deviceextending through the slot and a conductor having at one end a universaljoint attachable to the said contact device and forming the electricalconnection with the propelling-motor.

VALTER H. KNIGHT. \Vitnesses:

J OHN P. S. CHURCHILL, J. GEORGE SELTZER.

